6 Reasons You Should Be Watching ‘Grey’s Anatomy’

Although Scandal and How To Get Away With Murder receive the most buzz lately, fans should know that creator Shonda Rhimes doesn’t just have two hit shows—there are three. Medical drama Grey’s Anatomy, which airs right before Olivia Pope and friends takeover your screen was Rhimes’ first scripted masterpiece, and even as it prepares to launch its 12th season on air, it’s still as good as ever. From steamy romances to sudden, heartwrenching deaths of beloved characters, we can promise you that the drama at Grey+Sloan Memorial Hospital is just as heart-stopping as it is at the White House. Here’s why!

There Are More Hot Romances Than PatientsThe surgeons at this hospital put as much passion into each other as they do their work on the operating tables. They have it all—Rhimes and team serve up forbidden break room hookups, heated marriage spats, and betrayal weekly. Everyone is into someone in these hospital halls, and just when you think your favorite pairing has a chance, look again.

No Tone-Deaf Writing HereRhimes is known to push the envelope on screen and tell stories that mirror real life more than Hollywood, and Grey’s Anatomy is no exception. Gay marriage? Check. Interracial love? Check. Blended families? Check. Moral conflict? Triple check! Secret children? Check! We could go on and on. Between the patients and the doctors, Rhimes and team keep the relatability on point, and it seems that there is no close-to-home topic they haven’t (or won’t!) touch.

The Cast Is More Diverse Than Ever BeforeBlack actors on fleek! ESSENCE cover stars Chandra Wilson, Kelly McReary, James Pickens Jr., Jason George and Jerrika Hinton are series regulars with ample screen time, and you already know Jesse Williams is the new McDreamy on the show.

Eye Candy, Anyone?Jason George and Jesse Williams, sometimes with their shirts on, sometimes without them. Need we say more? #ohmygod

No One Is SafeNothing keeps viewers more glued to their seats than knowing that their favorite characters’ entire life could change at any moment. On Grey’s, this happens all the time. No patient is safe. No relationship is safe. And, most importantly, no surgeon is safe. Our advice: Invest in the show, not the characters, because you never know what’s about to happen.

The Finales Always DeliverRhimes ends every season of Grey’s Anatomy with a bang, and a shock. Diehard fans have already endured the agony of watching their favorites docs deal with plane crashes, hospital massacres and major, sudden deaths. Who knows what’s next?